Global Carer Statistics

Carers Worldwide has been working with unpaid carers In South Asia since 2012, aiming to improve a number of factors for carers, such as access to healthcare facilities. What key statistics represent unpaid carers in countries around the world, such as India, Nepal and Bangladesh, and how do these statistics compare to those  in the United Kingdom?

Key Statistics - Global

• 67% of carers are the primary unpaid carers for a household member. (Embracing Carers, 2020)
• The annual global number of informal care hours provided to people with dementia living at home was about 82 billion hours in 2015, equating to 2,089 hours per year or 6 hours per day. This is the equivalent of more than 40 million full-time workers in 2015, a figure that will increase to 65 million full-time workers by 2030. (Alzheimer’s Disease International, 2018)
• An estimated 1.3 billion people experience significant disability. This represents 16% of the world’s population or 1 in 6 of us. (World Health Organisation, 2023)
• According to the International Alliance of Carer Organizations (IACO), there are more than 63 million carers internationally. (International Alliance of Carer Organisations, Embracing Carers, 2018)

Key Statistics - India

• Approximately 10% of India’s population are family caregivers. This equates to around 138,327,941 people (International Alliance of Carer Organisations, 2020)
• 97% of unpaid carers and their families in the rural areas of Karnataka, Jharkhand, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh live in poverty (Carers Worldwide, 2021)
• In Tumkur, Karnataka, 41.5% of carers have their own health issues, predominantly physical ailments, such as headaches, body pain, high blood pressure and other serious complications. Despite having health issues, the majority of them do not go for any treatment, with 59.3% not going due to financial constraints (Carers Worldwide, 2021)
• Almost 50% of home carers, who provide care for more than 40 hours a week, are diagnosed with depressive symptoms (BMC Public Health, 2023)
• 39% of young adults became a carer for the first time as a result of the pandemic (Embracing Carers, 2020)

Key Statistics - Nepal

• In Nepal, women carry out 85% of daily unpaid care work, spending a total of 29 million hours a day (cumulatively) compared to 5 million hours spent by men. (International Labour Organisation, 2023)
• 16% of the households of carers have nobody earning. 63% of carers are not earning an income - although 97% are of working age. (Carers Worldwide, 2017)
• 69% of carers say they have their own current health problem (physical or mental) or disability (Carers Worldwide, 2017)

Key Statistics - Bangladesh

• It is estimated that 16 million people in Bangladesh are living with a disability, receiving little or no assistance and are excluded from mainstream life. (Centre for Disability in Development Bangladesh, 2016)
• Research by the Centre for Disability in Development (CDD Bangladesh) estimated that 67% of households in the project area containing a carer and a person with a disability were living in extreme poverty on less than $1 per day. These carers were excluded from mainstream poverty alleviation programmes due to caring responsibilities and stigma. (Carers Worldwide, 2018)

Key Statistics - UK

• In England and Wales an estimated 5 million residents aged 5 years and over provided unpaid care in 2021. (Office for National Statistics, 2021)
• 1.5 million people provide 50 or more hours of unpaid care a week (Office for National Statistics, 2021)
• 1 in 7 people in the workplace in the UK are juggling work and care (Carers UK, 2019)
• 44% of working-age adults who are caring for 35 hours or more a week are in poverty - more than double the rate of those caring for fewer than 20 hours a week (17%). (Joseph Rowntree Foundation, Parliament Committees, 2022)
• 73% of people in the UK who are providing, or have provided, unpaid care in their lifetime - roughly 19 million people - have not identified themselves as a carer. (Carers Trust, 2023)

Although the outlook on caring statistics in the UK is far from where it should be, there are many key legislations in place that ensure carers are looked after when needed, such as greater access to basic and advanced healthcare facilities, mental health support groups and carer networks. Unfortunately, in countries like India, Nepal and Bangladesh, such support is much harder to come by, especially in many rural areas, and urban areas are facing overcrowding in healthcare facilities. In the UK, unpaid carers have access to financial grants like Carers Leave and Carers Allowance, but in countries such as India, there are many examples of legislation for carers which have been created and not put into practice, such as the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, (2016).

“The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, (India, 2016) has a provision for a caregiver allowance to persons with disabilities with high support needs, but that allowance has been offered in only a few isolated districts. It has not been formally implemented by any state.”

(International Alliance of Carer Organisations)

We are, however, very pleased to share that the Government of Karnataka, India, has recently announced a Carers Allowance in their 2024-25 budget of Rs1,000/month for carers of people with Cerebral Palsy, Muscular Dystrophy, Parkinson's & Multiple sclerosis. 

This is truly advocacy in action and is the result of a lot of long-term work behind the scenes advocating for unpaid carers and highlighting the importance of financial support for carers. This shows the power of our advocacy work & is just the beginning

Our Founder Anil Patil said:

“This is a really great accomplishment and I am very proud of what Carers Worldwide has achieved with this announcement. We have been leading from the front in terms of advocating for the rights of unpaid family carers and will continue to do so.”

What’s Next?

Statistics for unpaid care around the world are gradually improving, though for many countries, data regarding unpaid carers has only come about more recently, perhaps suggesting that many caregivers are still unrecognised in certain areas of the world. However, there is still a long way to go, as the most recent statistics show that support is not where it should be. With the help of our generous Trusts & Foundationss, volunteers and donations from people like you, we can aim to improve the standard of life for unpaid carers around the world, improving their emotional, physical and financial well-being. If you’d like to explore fundraising opportunities or other ways of getting involved, please read our “Get Involved” page and start making a difference today.

Contribute to Improving These Statistics

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